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Stopping foreclosures before they go to court
Group wants to help homeowners before they head into mediation
By
WINK News
Story Created:
Jan 14, 2010 at 2:20 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Jan 15, 2010 at 1:01 PM EDT
CAPE CORAL, FL - Maribel and Alfredo Tortosa have put a lot of work into their Cape Coral home over the last ten years, but they came very close to losing it last year.
"My husband told me that I have to get ready for it, but I couldn't," said Maribel, as she fought back tears.
The Tortosas started working with the Home Ownership Resource Center, a non profit group in Fort Myers, and they were able to get their mortgage payments down from $1500 to $500 a month.
"We are there to help people, we will do whatever is necessary to help keep people in their homes," said Eddie Felton, HORC's executive director.
Felton wants to start working directly with the court system to help keep people in their homes.
A new supreme court ruling requires all residential foreclosure cases to go through mediation before heading to court.
Felton wants families facing that process to be referred to the Home Ownership Resource Center before going into mediation.
"Let us do the initial screenings... When they go in and talk with the mediator, they're prepared," said Felton.
Felton said he is meeting with the judges who oversee the mediation process, and hopes that they start referring people to the Home Ownership Resource Center before they go into mediation.
Contact the Home Ownership Resource Center at: 239-768-2013
